Display apparatus



March 2 1926. 1,575,417

T. M.'DEVINE DI SPLAY APPARATUS Filed Nov. 3. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 attozmoq March 2,1926. 1,575,417

T. M. DEVINE DISPLAY APPARATUS Filedj ov. 5. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I auvenfoz v position, forms the floor of the Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITE-D STATES 1,575,417. PATENT. OFFICE.

THOMAS M. DEVINE,.OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OH IO VAR- NISH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

Application, filed November 3, 1924. Serial No. 747,490.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. DIE-VINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland Heights, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Display Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to display devices which are adapted for use in store Windows for advertising purposes, andvhas. for one of its objects the provision of a collapsible device which in one position functions as a bulletin board, and in another position as a stage whereon material to be advertised may be displayed.

A further object of my invention is the provision of adevice which may be electrically illuminated either when it is being used as a bulletin board or as a stage, and to. arrange such illuminating means that the apparatus may be folded into a compact package for shipping purposes.

I carry out my invention by providing a frame which is arranged to stand upright on a suitable support. The back of the frame has provision for supporting a member which in oneposition comprises a bulletin board or a blackboard, and in another stage. Provision is also made for enabling a poster to be held between the blackboard and the frame if desired. Electric illuminating means may be mounted on the frame so as to be movable with relation thereto, to

, permit the light to be focused on any particular location without obstructing the vision of the observer.

The preferred means for carrying out my invention is shown in the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front'elevation showing-the device in closed position; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the device in open position; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation illustrating the apparatus inrclosed position; Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken transversely through the closeddevice and Fig. 5 is a similar section taken through the open device; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the closed device as adapted to be packed for shipp s- The preferred arrangement of parts comprises a frame having top and bottom members 10 and 11 which are connected by side members 12 and 13 respectively. These members preferably have rabbets indicated at Mon the inner surfaces thereof, which provide a recess into which the member comprising the bulletin board may be in serted.

The member which functions as a bulletin board when the device is closed is indicated at' 15 as being pivotally mounted at 16 to the lower frame member 11. The surface 17 of this member is prepared in the usual manner to provide a blackboard. As shown in Fig. 1, the member 15 has such size that the marginal edges thereof are disposed within the rabbeted portion 14.

Thus a display poster may be positioned beas indicated in Fig. 2, I provide a member 18 which may be hinged at 19 to the member 15 at the end opposite the pivotal connection 16. The member 18, therefore, functions as a back to the stage and cooperates with the member 15 which forms the floor of the stage. By making the color ofthe surface 20 black, then the floor and back of the sta e present a favorable background for enabling articles to be efiectively displayed.

To maintain the back of the stage in upright position, I have shown brackets 2t and 22 which are mounted at 23 and 24 respectively on the frame so as to be swung laterally and in a' substantially horizontalplane. The outer ends of the members as shown extend downwardly at 25 and 26 respectively and are adapted to engage recess-es Within the top of the member 18. These openings may be spaced as at *27 in accordance with the angular position desired between the brackets and the back of the stage. Drapery material 28 may be slidably positioned upon the brackets to provide the wings of the stage i To provide for illumination of advertising vice is open, I have shown lamps mounted on brackets 31. These brackets in the preferred form are swivelled to the top of the frame so as to permit adjustment of the most effective position. An advantage of having the brackets movable with relation to theframe is the fact that the fixtures may be moved closely to the frame as shown in Fig. 4 in full lines. In this position the entire device occupies a comparatively small space which is substantially the width of the supporting base. Thus a small box may be employed for enabling the device to be readily shipped.

When the device is closed as shown in Fig. i, the member 15 is disposed in front of the member 18, while the width of the rabbet is sufficient to permit both members to lie substantially flush with the rearward surface of the frame. I may then employ yieldable members which are fastened to the frame and are arranged to be removably positioned across the back of the member 18. The brackets may then be swung inwardly until the portions 25 and 26 enter a member having a socket therein adjacent themidportion of the frame. This member is indicated at 36 in Fig. 3. Thus the draper material is disposed across the back of the device while it is being used as a bulletin board.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the combination bulletin board collapsed and placed within a rectangle B which may be supposed to represent a suitable packing boX. Itwill be noted that the desired thickness of the base members 40 to produce a pleasingappearance is about the equivalent of the overall dimension of the folded in bracket and shade 31 and 30 and the upper end of the board, hence no great amount of space is wasted in packinginto regular shaped containers.

In view of the foregoing description it will be evident that I have provided a collapsible device which in closed position functions as a bulletin board upon which announcements may be made, or whereon posters may be held and which in open position functions as a stage upon which articles to be advertised may be displayed.

. Moreover, it will be evident that I have provided illuminating means which forms part of the device, yet which may be incorporated therein in such manner as to permit the unit to be collapsed and shipped within a relatively small package.

I claim V 1. In a device of-the character described,

the combination of a frame having an un-. obstructed opening and a member carried by the frame and hinged thereto adjacent the lower edge of the opening, said member adapted to stand behind the opening and act' as a bulletin board by presenting an accessible face to the front, means for bolding the member in this position, said member being adapted to stand also in a horizontal position and provide a floor for a display stage, and said frame having a base adapted to maintain it in anupright position when said member is vertical.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a frame having an opening, of a member hinged thereto, said member closing the opening and providing a bulletin board when disposed in upright position with reference to the frame and providing the floor of a stage when disposed in lowered position with reference to the fame and means carried by the member for providing a back to thestage when the member is in lowered position.

S. In a device of the character described, the combination with an upright frame having an unobstructed opening, of two members hinged together, one of said members being hinged to the frame and cooperating therewith to provide a bulletin board when disposed in upright position behind the the combination with a support, of a member hinged to the support and arranged to provide a-bulletin board when disposed in upright positionand to provide the floor of the. stage when disposed in horizontal position, a second member hinged to the first mentioned member and cooperating therewith to provide the back of a stage when the first mentioned member is in horizontal positionand means carried by the second mentioned member for providing the wings of the stage when the first mentioned member isinhorizontal position. 7

5. In combination a support, a hollow frame mounted upright on the support, said frame havinga recess on the rearward side thereof, a member hinged to the frame with inthe recess and adapted to occupy the. opening made by the frame when disposed in up right position, said member being arranged to be swung downwardly in' back of the frame and to provide the floor of a stage, a

bers when in one position occupy the opening in the frame and provide a bulletin board and whereby the members in another position provide the floor and'back respectively of the stage and means carried by the frame and adjustably engaging one of said members for providing the sides of a stage.

7. In combination, a frame having an opening therethrough, and having a recess surrounding the opening, two members hinged together and adapted to occupy the recess, one of the members being 'visible through the opening in the frame and providing a bulletin board, said members bemg adapted to be swung rearwardly of the frame and to be disposed at right angles to each other to provide the floor and back respectively of the stage, brackets extending between the frame and one of the members, and means moimted on the brackets for providing the wings of the stage. i

8. In combination, a frame having a central opening and having a recess surrounding the opening, two members hinged to the frame and arranged tooccupy the recess and providing a bulletin board which is visible through the opening in the frame, said member being arranged to be swung about the hinged connection with the frame,

and to be disposed at substantially right angles to each other toprovide the floor and back respectively of a stage, brackets of the. stage.

9. The combination of an upright frame having an opening and a marginal recess 0n its rearward side, and a member adapted to occupy said recess and provide a bullet-in board or be positioned at right angles to the frame to provide a floor, and means providing a back forthe stage when said member forms the floor.

10. In combination a display device frame, a support therefor, members carried by the frame and adapted to be moved with reference thereto for providing a stage, shiftable illuminating means carried by the frame for illuminating the stage, said members and means being arranged when in one position to occupy a space substantially the same as the depth of the support.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature. 7

THOMAS M. DEVINE. 

